NY nuns sue Pinay over 'tuyo'
Beware: You might be sued too
NY nuns sue Pinay over 'tuyo'
By Cristina DC Pastor Philippine News - January 15, 2009 12:00 AM
NEW YORK – It may be a cultural thing, but when you’re up against a congregation of nuns and your neighbors in an apartment building in Manhattan, a lawsuit would make an interesting anthropological study in ethnic tension.
The Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart (MSSH) in Manhattan has filed a complaint against a Filipino-American couple, Michael and Gloria Lim, over a Filipino delicacy called tuyo (dried fish), and its funky cousin, the tinapa (smoked fish).
The case is now with the Manhattan Supreme Court.
Reports say Gloria was smoking fish outside her apartment window when the smell – noxious stench to the nuns, divine aroma to the Lims – of the salted fish wafted throughout the Gramercy apartment building.
The “foul smell” was too strong the nuns suspected it was coming from a decomposing body and called in the Fire Department.
According to reports, the firemen searched every unit of the building and were able to trace the source of the smell to the Lims’ unit.
They knocked, and when no one came to the door, the NYFD came barreling in.
Gloria, a nurse, found her door knocked down and was obviously peeved.
It appears the MSSH leases the unit to the Lims and may have authorized the assault.
“I cook dried fish,” Gloria defiantly declared to the NY Post.
The average American may find it puzzling how one can derive pleasure of the palate from dried fish. Foodie Andrew Zimmern, who has been to the Philippines and braved balut (fertilized duck egg with an embryo) and Soup No. 5 (bull’s rectum and testicles soup, believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac) , might be able to share the gustatory experience.
Gloria was referring to the tuyo, a Philippine staple usually eaten with steaming hot rice and fresh tomatoes. Some eat theirs dipped in vinegar and crushed garlic paired with fried rice and sunny side up egg.
Dried fish is not a Philippine exclusive. It is an essential in the traditional Chinese and Malaysian fried rice along with chopped spring onions, garlic and chili. Sometimes, it is pulled and sprinkled on chocolate porridge or champorado.
Food with a strong salty taste like tuyo or tinapa might be too intense for the morning stomach, but many Filipinos would never leave for work in the morning without having it for breakfast.
In the lawsuit filed by the nuns, Gloria was even more adamant. She was quoted as saying that “she is causing the smell by cooking and/or smoking fish, and she is going to continue to do it.”
The complaint appears to divide the apartment tenants, some finding themselves squarely on the side of the sisters who find the smell “potentially dangerous to life and health,” and some defending the FilAm family’s right to eat their own ethnic food in the privacy of their home.
“This is plain racist,” comes a shout-out from a supportive blogger.
The complaint says some tenants closer to the Lims’ unit have moved out, and that the Lims have been warned repeatedly about the smell emanating from their 16th floor apartment unit. Gloria, a 30-year resident of the US , denies this.
Which side to take, undecided tenants turn to what’s stated in the housing rules: Cooking smelly food is not allowed.
The nuns are seeking $75,000 in damages. They made it clear that they have nothing against Filipinos as a people.
So far, based on my experience, egyptians, syrians, lebanese doesnt like the smell of dried fish or fish or the squid, shrimp when cooking or even if fresh. :D
get well soon and have fun trying the Filipino dishes... :)
try airspay after and during cooking tuyo, i love eating tuyo and shrimp paste, i miss eating green mango with shrimp paste..i cant find a good green mango here..sigh..
head turner, "bagoong" i think in english is shrimp paste...
^_^
Ukeng, in front of Souq Asiri you'll find stores cater these kinda foods, you're gonna easily spot one coz it bears the name "Pilipino" in it's sign board...
^_^ and of course, gud luck to your adventure, lol!
ooofa! exhaust cant even hodl the smell hahahahaha. try cooking fresh bagoong what is it in English? hahahaha
dmighty thanks.. Just under the weather (recovering from the flu) dont wont to spread my germs to all at QBC attendees tonight. Maybe next time..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
person concerned must be cautious when they are cooking it. windows/doors closed (airfresher is always there) and exhaust fan must be on.
Ms. Gloria of being a 30yrs resident, I believe she knows what are the rules of cooking such.
I have not been to any part of the world except Doha and my country but has knowledge about this from reltaives stories.
A fine of USD75,000 is too much though.
I'll treat you for a delicious "tapsilog" or "sisig" if you want.
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
what you should experience is smelling it while it is being cooked! That's the story about the complaint!
And I think there is no "tuyo" on those restaurants mentioned by MJ.
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
Thanks MJ will try them this Thursday..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
try cocina filipina (bin mahmoud), Asian Traditional (TV roundabout)
Ok anyone recommend to me a good pinoy restaurant? Just want to try Pinoy food here in Doha..
The last time I eat Pinoy food was at a pinoy friends wedding back in London..Was quite nice but only problem there was that it had pork in almost every dish...lol
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HE WHO DARES WINS
but too many Pinoy shops and markets in that area. Plenty of Filipino food there!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
but think deeper about the facts and what may be the judgment. Think of the people involved, those who complain and those who side with our "Kabayans"!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
some say it smells like old socks, but it goes very well with fried rice, the best....
Padre you mean souq asiri?
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HE WHO DARES WINS
dried fish and judge it yourself if it'll "kill" you?
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
many kinds and when you cook it, well, you'll love the exotic smell!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
UkEng, good luck. actually when cooked already, it doesn't emit that much "foul" smell. try to be present while it is being cooked, then you will understand. lol.
you can find smoked fish at carrefour, but the dried fish i dont know where to get..will pass some to you if i get a hold of it..
i don't think it's racism. since we are living with people of other nationalities, a little consideration should be observed.
Generally I love smoked Salmon..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
Ok to all my Pinay friends.. I have never tried this dried fish.. Any one invite me or recommend me any restaurant where I could try this?
Then I will give you my verdict..lol
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HE WHO DARES WINS
Smoking is banned now in all public enclosed areas in the UK..
Yes you can sue some one for passive smoking.. You can even sue the ciggerate manufactures if they post health warnings on the pack..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
but what is the tolerance. What is your idea of being considerate? If zero tolerance, then moving-out is the only option. So what level are we talking about?
And check the report, they are asking for 75K damages, for what?
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
they have been in that apartment and how often they cook our native food?
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
dmighty, It is nuisnace my friend..just like noise and other habits that may disturb the neighbour.
Ok the problems is not only with Pianys. the Nigerians have the same probelm, as well as the Indians with the smell of garlic and curry the list just goes on..
Living in the west and in multi cultural society one has to take consideration of one another.
It would be racism to ban these foods, All one has to do is to take extra precautions when preparing such food like keeping the window shut and extractor fan on..So keep the smell to your self..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
we are all entitled to what we eat.
thing is, we should all be considerate to others / neighboors / flatmates etc about what we are cooking most especially if we are not in our own country.
if not, they should ban the food from entering the US soil. If its allowed to enter the US soil then it's a legal food.
Now if we are talking about tolerance, can these Pinoys also complain what is not pleasant in their eyes?
The motive is really to drive them out, not the food. IMHO.
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
Dmighty it is not racism, it is a form or nuisance the smell. It all depends how much one can tolerate.
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HE WHO DARES WINS
The court will have to judge it squarely!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
but i can't it everyday...heheheh!
I don't agree that dried fish is an essential ingredient in Malaysian/Chinese fried rice. It is only one of the ingredients sometimes added. Don't they use an extractor or something like that in their kitchen?
Good information..Now I know what that smell is coming from my neigbours flat..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
i have this same situation here..one of my flatmates always cooks / eats tuyo, tinapa, daing, etc...
and the smell just covers the whole flat...don't get me wrong, i eat these food occasionally...
my point is just try to cook / eat these kinds of food discretely....not everybody likes the smell of freshly cooked tuyo, bagoong, etc....
cos it really stinks...
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"The grass is always greener...over the Septic Tank"
To avoid this just simply stay away from cooking tuyo. Just like that to avoid any trouble. We had also experienced the same here in Middle East.